Colts' James: Nothing To Prove In Preseason

NFL - The Beat

August 28, 2002

If Indianapolis Colts RB Edgerrin James had it his way, he would never play in a preseason game. To James, the NFL's two-time rushing champ, it's pretty simple: The games mean nothing, and he doesn't believe he needs extra hits to prove anything to anyone.

That's part of the reason he hasn't played in the Colts' first three games. And there's no guarantee he'll be in their backfield Friday night against New Orleans, either.

"We're going to see where he is," Colts Coach Tony Dungy said. "If he's ready to go, and the trainers feel well about it, then he will go. If not, he won't." That decision, Dungy said Tuesday, is not likely to come until Thursday.

COUCH HAS BRUISED ARM

Browns QB Tim Couch bruised his right forearm during Monday night's loss to the Green Bay Packers, an injury Cleveland Coach Butch Davis was reluctant to discuss. Couch left Lambeau Field with his right arm wrapped in ice late in the first half of Cleveland's 27-20 loss.

The club initially said X-rays were negative and that Couch had strained his elbow. However, following the game, Couch said he strained his forearm. On Tuesday, Davis indicated that a magnetic resonance imaging revealed a bruise. "He's got a bruise of his forearm and with him it's going to be day-to-day," Davis said. Cleveland had three other starters -- OT Ryan Tucker (ankle), DE Kenard Lang (ankle) and TE Aaron Shea (shoulder) -- injured as well.

PANTHERS RELEASE JEFFERS

WR Patrick Jeffers, slowed over two years with knee injuries, was released by the Carolina Panthers. Jeffers had a breakout season in 1999, his first in Carolina, when he caught 63 passes for 1,083 yards and a team-record 12 touchdown receptions. He ended the season with five straight 100-yard receiving games, two shy of the NFL record.

But he tore ligaments in his knee during a preseason game at Pittsburgh the next season and has struggled to come back from it.

COWBOYS LOSE DEEP SNAPPER

Jeff Robinson, the deep snapper signed to solve one of the Dallas Cowboys' biggest problems, was placed on injured reserve. The move means Robinson, who got a $4.8 million, four-year contract from the Cowboys, won't play this season.

San Francisco 49ers backup QB Cade McNown needs surgery on his left shoulder and will miss the season. The 49ers also cut troubled kick returner Vinny Sutherland, who was charged with drunken driving in May.

PACKERS CUT VETERAN CARTER

RB Ki-Jana Carter was cut by the Green Bay Packers, perhaps ending his injury-plagued NFL career. The Packers also cut 11-year veteran PK/P Louie Aguiar, who played in Green Bay in 1999, and three second-year pros: DE Aaron Fields, WR Andy McCullough and LB Anthony Sessions.